Can you draw and engage your CCW weak hand?

Practicing both strong and weak hand is most definitely required. For me I started practicing this because I had rotator cuff surgery on my strong arm and could only shoot with my weak hand. Learning how to draw weak handed from pocket carrying was definitely hard to get the hang of.

Not really, no.

I guess I could technically, but it would take me a bit.

I carry concealed so, theoretically the BG doesn't know I have a gun to draw.

For me I think practicing retention and quick get-away/distance creating techniques is more valuable than being able to draw with off side hand.

Opinions will differ.

When I appendix carry, which most often do, yes - and I practice drawing and shooting with my _other_ hand!


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Yes I can. I misread the question at first and thought you were asking can you draw (strong hand) while engaging the threat with your weak hand (like a strike) yes, I practice that as well.

The first scenario I was put through in the Simunition instructor course, the set up was I was chasing a suspect, fell down some stairs and broke my strong hand thumb, gun still holstered. They also only loaded 1-2 rds in the mag (jerks!). So; I had to draw, engage, emergency reload and finsh the fight left hand only. It was actually pretty fun! They thought it would hang me up more, but it is something I have trained...not a lot, but enough.

Shoulder holster here, no problem.

I'll try not to get too off topic but this kind of falls in line with my "Close Quarters" thread.

Everyone should know at least some basic hand to hand fighting skills. If an assailant is close enough to physically hinder my drawing my weapon, then drawing my weapon is the farthest thing on my mind.

So, if things have gotten that "up close and personal" then I'm looking at other means than my side arm to stop the threat and or create distance, and then, if necessary, draw my gun as I normally would.

Sure i can. One of the many reasons I like AIWB for carry.


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Good Ol' Boy said:

I'll try not to get too off topic but this kind of falls in line with my "Close Quarters" thread.

Everyone should know at least some basic hand to hand fighting skills. If an assailant is close enough to physically hinder my drawing my weapon, then drawing my weapon is the farthest thing on my mind.

So, if things have gotten that "up close and personal" then I'm looking at other means than my side arm to stop the threat and or create distance, and then, if necessary, draw my gun as I normally would.

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Agreed. Focusing on a weapon to always save you is the wrong approach. "What if they grab the arm that grabs the magic gun? Can I grab it with my other arm or grab another weapon with my other arm?"

Wrong approach. Your job is to injure them until they are no longer a threat. If they grab your right arm, gouge their eye out of their skull with your left. What are they gonna do about it? (their hands and attention is focused on your other arm...)

4 o'clock iwb-no

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Not difficult at all. Just reach behind your back.

Sebastian the Ibis said:

Not difficult at all. Just reach behind your back.

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Agreed, it's the reason I go with 4:00 VS 3:30 or 3:00, it positions the butt just back far enough to get to with my off hand.

Chuck

This brings to question what priorities one places on weak hand draw vs retention and gun grab avoidance.
Almost any holster with retention features will make weak hand draw very difficult but using one without, that is positioned behind the hip exposes the gun while protecting is more difficult than if the gun were at the side or in front.
For the record I prefer behind the hip or shoulder holster.

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There is one carry position that makes it quite possible to draw with either hand, sitting or standing - and I'm talking about that old fashioned crosshand, butt first position on your weak side... Yes, it has retention drawbacks and it's not the fastest carry position but you can easily draw the weapon with either hand every time. Many years ago when carrying off duty I learned to value an inside the waistband position on my weak hand side (with or without holster, both exposed or up under a tucked in dress shirt...).

No, it's not for everybody but is definitely worth a look and a bit of practice if it meets your needs.... It's particularly useful for carrying full sized duty weapons when off duty..

There is absolutely no way I could get my Concealed weapon out of its holster weak handed. As I carry concealed for many years, I am unaware of having been "made" even once. I also make it a point to not put myself into bad situations.

Concealed carrying is always going to be a trade off. Immediate access negates concealment, and concealment reduces access. Decide what is your main requirement and plan accordingly.

LNK

Weak side work is definitely a requirement. There's a number of ways your strong hand might be taken out of the fight, what are you going to do then? What if you hurt yourself somehow and have to carry on your weak side for a few weeks? Are you proficient?

I carry AIWB 95% of the time and yes, I can draw with either hand. It's actually easier for me to draw from the 4 OC position than AIWB with my off hand but I think the benefits of appendix carry outweigh that small disadvantage. Off hand draw adds less than a second to my time from beep to first shot.

While qualifying we always trained with weak side draw and firing. You never know what the situation may require so it's best to be prepared. For years I've carried SOB for that purpose. I've heard all the stories about being knocked down on your back but you're just as app to be knocked forward too. I feel it's all about what you've been and continue to train for.

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Can you draw and engage your CCW weak hand?

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I can draw and engage so fast, with either hand, I go back in time (and I can bend bullets to.)

Deaf

What's a weak hand and why would you want one?

Seriously I pocket carry on my left side (weak side) anyway most of the time anyway and for the record I broke my right arm in kindergarten and went to school for a week without saying anything and then when I was 11 I had my left arm broken by an inside fastball still walked to first, stole second and scored on a single. I'll figure it out

I've carried cross for decades. One of the advantages is ease of drawing with the non dominant hand.

I have one other thing on my side. I'm left eyed and right handed. But I started shooting left handed from the beginning. I'm pretty fair with both with regards to accuracy and speed. Just lucky I guess.

Oh, and I'm probably really not right handed. But when I learned to print I picked up the pencil with my left hand. A reminder (multiple times) with a yard stick on the back of my left hand kinda pushed me to write right handed.

I carry "primary" on my right side. My right hand is clumsier, and weaker, than my left hand, so the short answer is an obvious "yes."

No, that was not mis-spoken: Once upon a time, my right hand and arm were stronger, while my left hand, fingers, and thumb were more-skilled/dextrous/flexible. The draw, especially with the large, relatively heavy revolvers I had to use at the beginning of my LE career, felt a bit more natural with my right arm. Patrolling alone, as was/is the norm, the duty handgun was more accessible, while seated in the driver's seat, if on the right hip. These factors, combined, indicated right-side carry to be the better practice. The DA revolver trigger is caveman-simple, anyway. No offense to cavemen; they were very resourceful folks.

The wear and tear of aging have relegated my right hand, arm, and shoulder to being weaker. I am not yet to the point of needing to change the carry position of my "primary" weapon. My second weapon, however, may well be an equivalent weapon, rather than something smaller.

Now, for the "strategy and tactics" part: I have always made sure my left hand can access a weapon, either by being able to reach the primary weapon with reasonable expedience, or my having my second weapon positioned for lefty access. I have long trained with both hands having their individual quality time being the "weapon hand."

My right hand's grip strength is still decent, but it sometimes it does not always cooperate when I want to grasp things in a certain way, such as running a pistols's slide, so it makes sense to keep carrying my auto-loading pistols on my right side. Inserting magazines, at reload time, is also facilitated by shooting autos right-handed, as my more-skilled left hand is controlling the fresh magazine.

No, but I can draw and engage with my weak hand my back-up.

And I also practice a little each session weak hand with the primary carry.

Life comes at you from all sides and you have 2 hands to engage with. It has happened that my back-up was the one that became the primary as that was the way the situation unfolded.

I'm ambidextrous for the most part, so engaging with my "weak" hand isn't an issue. I'm a passable shot with either hand.

There have been times when I carry 2 snub nose revolvers at 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. It's a very comfortable NY reload, and I don't have to mess with speed strips, moon clips, or loaders.

If I am not doubling up on my snubbies, then I tend to carry 4 o'clock I/OWB. I can't reach my pistol from that position with my other hand.

My focus has always been that if I am approached, I turn with my left side to the attacker. It keeps my gun from his reach, makes me a smaller target, allows for me to complete the draw, and oddly enough while my right hand is my primary hand, my left arm is just a touch stronger.

It's amazing how fast, effective, and easy it is to break a grip on your arm. I used to wrestle in high school. It was just called "wrist control". When someone grabs your wrist or forearm, just roll your wrists over his. It'll break his hold, and you can even grab him back that way.

So no, I can't reach my primary gun with my secondary hand, but I would like to think that I have enough knowledge and strength to break free of most grips and present my firearm.